How to Tye Dye Sheets
Tie-dyeing is the process of taking a piece of fabric, tying it with rubber bands or strings and applying brightly colored dyes. The dyes will stain the fabric except where the fabric is protected by the rubber bands, thus creating patterns on the cloth. The looser the bands or strings, the more color will seep underneath and dye the fabric. Choose a woven fabric that is at least 80 percent cellulose fiber. Cellulose fiber includes cotton, linen and rayon. Avoid polyester and nylon.
Things You'll Need
- Rubber bands or strings
- Tie-dye kit (includes dye, urea and textile detergent)
- Plastic cups
- Face mask
- Rubber gloves
- Squeeze bottles
- 1 cup sodium carbonate
- 1 gallon water
Instructions
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Wash the sheets as you normally would using the textile detergent that came with your tie-dye kit. Avoid using fabric softener and dryer sheets.
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Fold your sheets into whatever shape or pattern you desire. You can pleat the fabric, twist it or scrunch it together. Tie the sheets with rubber bands or strings to hold them in place. Secure the fabric tightly to keep the dye from coloring the sheets or keep the bands looser to let more dye access the fabric.
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Mix one tbsp. urea and one cup of water in a plastic cup. Urea will be included with your tie dye kit. Use a different cup for each color you plan to add to the fabric. Add the dyes from the kit to each cup according to the package's mixing instructions.
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4
Put on rubber gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from chemicals. Add one cup of sodium carbonate to one gallon of water. Soak the tied sheets for fifteen minutes.
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Remove the sheets from the soaking water and wring out the excess water.
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Pour each cup of pre-mixed urea, water and dye into different squeeze bottles. Work the nozzle of a bottle into the folds of the fabric and squeeze the color onto the fabric. Change colors and repeat this step in another fold of fabric. Avoid overlapping colors to avoid altering the color of the dyes. Continue adding colors to create the design and pattern you want. Set aside the sheets and allow them to absorb the color for eight to twenty-four hours.
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Rinse the sheets in cold water. Wring out the sheets and re-rinse with warm and then hot water. Continue rinsing until the water runs clear.
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Wash the sheets in your washing machine using the cold water setting. Do not wash the sheets with other fabrics or clothing items until their colors no longer run.
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Tips & Warnings
Craft stores will carry a variety of kits that include the necessary materials for a tie-dye project. Some will contain sodium carbonate or other ingredients and some will not. Check the items included with your kit before purchasing ingredients separately.
Note how much fabric a single kit will dye before purchasing. You may need multiple kits to dye an entire set of sheets.
Always wear protective eye wear, rubber gloves and a mask when working with sodium carbonate. The solution will be mildly caustic and will irritate the skin. Rinse immediately with cold water if you get any on your skin or in your eyes.
References
- Photo Credit tie dyed green image by Steve Mann from Fotolia.com
